نُغالِبُwe strive to prevail ثُمَّthen تَغلِبُناovercome us اللَياليthe nights
نُغالِبُ ثُمَّ تَغلِبُنا اللَيالي
وَكَمand how long يَبقىendures الرَمِيُّthe target عَلىagainst النِبالِthe arrows
وَكَم يَبقى الرَمِيُّ عَلى النِبالِ
We strive to prevail, then the nights overcome us.
We prevail, then the nights prevail over us,
And how long can a target withstand the arrows?
And how much does the archer remain upon the arrows?
وَنَطمَعُand we hope أَنthat يَمَلَّhe grows weary مِنَof التَقاضيdemanding repayment
وَنَطمَعُ أَن يَمَلَّ مِنَ التَقاضي
غَريمٌa creditor لَيسَdoes not يَضجَرُgrow impatient بِالمَطالِwith delayed payment
غَريمٌ لَيسَ يَضجَرُ بِالمَطالِ
And we hope that demanding payment may weary
We aspire that an obstinate litigant may grow weary of litigation,
a creditor who never grows impatient with delay.
One who does not grow bored of postponing.
أَتَنظُرُdo you see كَيفَhow تَسفَعُthey seize بِالنَواصيby the forelocks
أَتَنظُرُ كَيفَ تَسفَعُ بِالنَواصي
لَياليناour nights وَتَعثُرُand trip up بِالجِبالِthe mountains
لَيالينا وَتَعثُرُ بِالجِبالِ
Do you see how they seize the forelocks—
Do you see how our nights drag us by the forelocks
our nights—and make mountains stumble?
And stumble upon the mountains?
يَحُطُّcasts down السَيلُthe torrent ذُروَةَthe summit of كُلِّevery طَودٍmountain
يَحُطُّ السَيلُ ذُروَةَ كُلِّ طَودٍ
رُهوناًas captives بِالجَنادِلِamong the boulders وَالرِمالِand the sands
رُهوناً بِالجَنادِلِ وَالرِمالِ
The torrent casts down the summit of every mountain,
The torrent brings down the crest of every lofty dune
held captive among the boulders and sands.
As collateral for the valleys and sands.
هِيَthey are الأَيّامُthe days جائِرَةُunjust in القَضاياjudgments
هِيَ الأَيّامُ جائِرَةُ القَضايا
وَمُلحِقَةُand joining الأَواخِرِthe later ones بِالأَواليto the earlier ones
وَمُلحِقَةُ الأَواخِرِ بِالأَوالي
Such are the days: unjust in their judgments,
These are the tyrannical days of destinies
and joining the last to the first.
And the sequels matched to the beginnings.
يُمَنّينَthey hold out hopes of الوُرودَreaching water فَإِنbut if دَنَوناwe draw near
يُمَنّينَ الوُرودَ فَإِن دَنَونا
ضَرَبنَthey set عَلىacross المَوارِدِthe watering places بِالحِبالِwith ropes
ضَرَبنَ عَلى المَوارِدِ بِالحِبالِ
They tempt us with hopes of water; but if we draw near,
They drive the flowers away, so if we approach,
they lay ropes across the watering places.
They strike the springs with ropes.
نُطَنِّبُwe stake down لِلمُقامِfor staying قِبابَthe tents of حَيٍّa tribe
نُطَنِّبُ لِلمُقامِ قِبابَ حَيٍّ
وَيَحفِزُناand urges us المَنونُdeath إِلىtoward الرِحالِthe saddles
وَيَحفِزُنا المَنونُ إِلى الرِحالِ
We stake down a tribe's tents to stay,
We furnish dwellings for the stay,
while death spurs us toward the saddles.
And impending death spurs us on to travel.
وَنَسرَحُand we roam آمِنينَsafe وَلِلمَناياwhile deadly fates have
وَنَسرَحُ آمِنينَ وَلِلمَنايا
شَباًsharp points بَينَbetween الأَخامِصِthe foot-arches وَالنِعالِand the sandals
شَباً بَينَ الأَخامِصِ وَالنِعالِ
And we roam secure, while death has
We roam secure, though death lurks
sharp points between the arches of our feet and our sandals.
Among the anklets and sandals.
وَبَيناand while المَرءُa person يَلبَسُهاwears them نَعيماًin bliss
وَبَينا المَرءُ يَلبَسُها نَعيماً
تَهَجَّرَtraveled at noon ضاحِياًexposed to the sun بَعدَafter الظِلالِthe shade
تَهَجَّرَ ضاحِياً بَعدَ الظِلالِ
And while a man wears them in bliss,
And while one dons ease like a garment,
he journeys in the noon heat, exposed after shade.
It abandons him, fleeing after the shadows.
نَعىannounced the death of الناعونَthe death-announcers واضِحَةَradiant of المُحَيّاface
نَعى الناعونَ واضِحَةَ المُحَيّا
أَلوفَdevoted to البَيتِthe house ذيwith العَمَدِthe pillars الطِوالِthe tall ones
أَلوفَ البَيتِ ذي العَمَدِ الطِوالِ
The bearers of death-tidings announced a radiant-faced woman's death,
Plague laments the thousands in the long-columned house
devoted to the house of tall pillars,
Of the chaste maidens, the family of Ma`add;
مِنَamong البيضِthe fair العَقائِلِnoblewomen مِنof مَعَدٍّMaʿadd
مِنَ البيضِ العَقائِلِ مِن مَعَدٍّ
بَنَينَthey built قِبابَهُنَّtheir tents عَلىupon الجَلالِmajesty
بَنَينَ قِبابَهُنَّ عَلى الجَلالِ
among the fair noblewomen of Maʿadd,
It laments a herd of white-faced noble ladies
who built their tents upon majesty.
Of refined manners and burnished temples.
نَعَواthey announced the death of ظُبَةًa cutting edge لِأَبيَضَof a gleaming sword مَشرَفيٍّMashrafi
نَعَوا ظُبَةً لِأَبيَضَ مَشرَفيٍّ
قَديمِancient in الطَبعِforging عاديِّage-old in الصِقالِpolish
قَديمِ الطَبعِ عاديِّ الصِقالِ
They mourned the cutting edge of a gleaming Mashrafi sword,
In it lies the handiwork of al-Qayn's sword
of ancient forging and age-old polish.
Raised upon the blades.
لِسَيفِfor Sayf الدَولَةِal-Dawla العَرَبيِّthe Arab فيهاin her
لِسَيفِ الدَولَةِ العَرَبيِّ فيها
صَنيعُthe craftsmanship of القَينِthe smith قامَstood at work عَلىover النِصالِthe blades
صَنيعُ القَينِ قامَ عَلى النِصالِ
In her, Sayf al-Dawla the Arab had
When the stallion sires his progeny,
the craftsmanship of a smith at work upon blades.
He guarantees nobility for the foals.
إِذاwhen ماever (emphatic) الفَحلُthe sire أَنجَبَbred nobly ناتِجاهُhis two parents
إِذا ما الفَحلُ أَنجَبَ ناتِجاهُ
فَقَدthen indeed ضَمِنَhe guaranteed النَجابَةَnobility of breeding لِلسِخالِfor the offspring
فَقَد ضَمِنَ النَجابَةَ لِلسِخالِ
When a sire is nobly bred by both his parents,
The valleys of al-Muzayn were fertile only because
then he has assured noble breeding for his young.
They were irrigated by the flowing waters.
وَماand never طابَتwere sweet غَواديthe morning showers of المُزنِthe rain-clouds إِلّاexcept that
وَما طابَت غَوادي المُزنِ إِلّا
أَطَبنَthey sweetened وَقائِعَthe pools of الماءِwater الزُلالِlimpid
أَطَبنَ وَقائِعَ الماءِ الزُلالِ
And the clouds' morning showers are never sweet
Short women in the houses of glory
without sweetening the pools of limpid water.
Have their compatibility with long glory augmented.
قَصايِرُsecluded women فيin بُيوتِthe houses of العِزِّhonor تُنمىare traced
قَصايِرُ في بُيوتِ العِزِّ تُنمى
مَناسِبُهاtheir lines of descent إِلىto المَجدِglory الطَوالِthe long ones
مَناسِبُها إِلى المَجدِ الطَوالِ
Women secluded in houses of honor, traced
Every chaste woman inclines at dusk
through their long lineages back to glory.
To the riverbank of generosity.
وَكُلُّand every عَقيلَةٍnoblewoman لِلجودِfor generosity's sake تُمسيends the day
وَكُلُّ عَقيلَةٍ لِلجودِ تُمسي
عَطولَunadorned in الجيدِneck حالِيَةَadorned with الفِعالِdeeds
عَطولَ الجيدِ حالِيَةَ الفِعالِ
And every noblewoman, for generosity's sake, ends the day
As if their bedrooms were seashells
unadorned of neck, adorned with deeds.
Fortified, clasped unto adornments.
كَأَنَّas though خُدورَهاher curtained chambers أَصدافُthe shells of يَمٍّa sea
كَأَنَّ خُدورَها أَصدافُ يَمٍّ
مُحَصَّنَةٌwell-guarded ضُمِمنَthey were closed عَلىaround لَآلِpearls
مُحَصَّنَةٌ ضُمِمنَ عَلى لَآلِ
Her curtained chambers seem like seashells,
They excelled in chastity and altogether surpassed
well-guarded, closed around pearls.
In their place beyond count.
طَهُرنَthey were pure نَباهَةًin distinction وَبَرَرنَand excelled طَولاًin bounty
طَهُرنَ نَباهَةً وَبَرَرنَ طَولاً
وَهُنَّthough they are وَراءَbehind مَعدودِa few الحِجالِbridal curtains
وَهُنَّ وَراءَ مَعدودِ الحِجالِ
They were pure in distinction and excelled in bounty,
They conquered the beauty of creation until
though they remained behind a few bridal curtains.
They left creation oblivious of beauty.
غَلَبنَthey excelled عَلىin جَمالِthe beauty of الخُلقِcharacter حَتّىuntil
غَلَبنَ عَلى جَمالِ الخُلقِ حَتّى
تَرَكنَthey left الخَلقَphysical form مَنسيَّforgotten in الجَمالِbeauty
تَرَكنَ الخَلقَ مَنسيَّ الجَمالِ
They so excelled in beauty of character that
Theirs is the lineage of highborn ladies,
they left physical beauty forgotten.
Pursued unto the heights in days of strife.
لَهاhers is نَسَبُthe pedigree of العِتاقِthe thoroughbreds مُرَدَّداتٍsent repeatedly
لَها نَسَبُ العِتاقِ مُرَدَّداتٍ
إِلىto الغاياتِthe finishing posts أَيّامَon the days of النِضالِcompetition
إِلى الغاياتِ أَيّامَ النِضالِ
Hers is the pedigree of thoroughbreds, sent time and again
The pedigree ascribes the mares as noble
to the finishing posts on days of contest.
If they trace their line to the majestic courser.
تُعَدُّare reckoned النوقُthe she-camels مِنthrough شَرَفٍnoble birth فُحولاًbreeding males
تُعَدُّ النوقُ مِن شَرَفٍ فُحولاً
إِذاwhen اِنتَسَبَتthey trace their descent إِلىto العَودِthe old camel الجُلالِthe mighty one
إِذا اِنتَسَبَت إِلى العَودِ الجُلالِ
She-camels are counted, by noble birth, as sires
They were brought down by Death, their bridles handed over
when they descend from a mighty old camel.
To the halters.
عَمائِرُgreat clans مِنof رَبيعَةَRabiʿa أَنزَلَتهُمestablished them
عَمائِرُ مِن رَبيعَةَ أَنزَلَتهُم
أَعاليthe heights of المَجدِglory أَطرافُthe points of العَواليthe lofty spears
أَعالي المَجدِ أَطرافُ العَوالي
Great clans of Rabiʿa, established
Their glory was but a borrowed splendor
on glory's heights by the points of lofty spears.
Like a loan in the right hand from the left.
هُمُthey are الرَأسُthe head الَّذيthat رَفعَتraised مَعَدٌّMaʿadd
هُمُ الرَأسُ الَّذي رَفعَت مَعَدٌّ
قَديماًlong ago لاnot يُطَأطَأُis bowed لِلفَواليfor the lice-pickers
قَديماً لا يُطَأطَأُ لِلفَوالي
They are the head that Maʿadd raised
A people like yours, Time does not bring back,
long ago, never bowed for the lice-pickers.
Nor do nights beget one like your father.
فُحولُthe sires of المَجدِglory جَعجَعَهاconfined them المَناياdeadly fates
فُحولُ المَجدِ جَعجَعَها المَنايا
وَأَسلَمَهاand surrendered them الزِمامُthe leading-rein إِلىto العِقالِthe hobble
وَأَسلَمَها الزِمامُ إِلى العِقالِ
Death confined the sires of glory,
In their tombs lies spilled the drink
and the rein surrendered them to the hobble.
Of the rainclouds' udders from the rain-laden sky.
وَلَمand not يَكُwas عِزُّهُمtheir might إِلّاexcept اِختِلاساًa fleeting snatch
وَلَم يَكُ عِزُّهُم إِلّا اِختِلاساً
كَصَفقٍlike a clap بِاليَمينِwith the right hand عَلىagainst الشِمالِthe left hand
كَصَفقٍ بِاليَمينِ عَلى الشِمالِ
And their might was no more than a snatched instant,
Indeed, their graves altogether
like a clap of the right hand against the left.
Lie atop the summit of glories and grandeur.
كَقَومِكِlike your people لاnot يُعيدُbrings back الدَهرُtime قَوماًa people
كَقَومِكِ لا يُعيدُ الدَهرُ قَوماً
وَمِثلِand the like of أَبيكِyour father لاnot تَلِدُgive birth to اللَياليthe nights
وَمِثلِ أَبيكِ لا تَلِدُ اللَيالي
Time never brings back a people like yours,
Water those graves, for in them lie
and nights bear no one like your father.
The water-bearers for the powerless.
أُريقَتwere poured out فيinto قُبورِهِمُtheir graves اللَواتيwhich
أُريقَت في قُبورِهِمُ اللَواتي
بِبَطنِin the hollow of القاعِthe plain أَذنِبَةُthe great buckets of النَوالِbounty
بِبَطنِ القاعِ أَذنِبَةُ النَوالِ
Into their graves were poured—those lying
With hands that withhold the meadows as honor
in the plain's hollow—the great buckets of bounty.
And secure from the striking of swords.
لَقَدindeed رُسَّتwere dug حَفائِرُهُمtheir grave-pits جَميعاًall
لَقَد رُسَّت حَفائِرُهُم جَميعاً
عَلىupon هامِthe heads of المَكارِمِnoble virtues وَالمَعاليand lofty honors
عَلى هامِ المَكارِمِ وَالمَعالي
Their grave-pits were indeed all dug
Thunderclouds wherein is the rumbling of thunder,
upon the heads of noble virtues and lofty honors.
The neighing of the courser, the clanging of swords.
سَقىmay water تِلكَthose القُبورَgraves فَإِنَّfor indeed فيهاwithin them
سَقى تِلكَ القُبورَ فَإِنَّ فيها
سُقاةَwater-givers to العاجِزينَthose unable عَنِto obtain البِلالِmoisture
سُقاةَ العاجِزينَ عَنِ البِلالِ
May those graves be watered—for within them lie
They came galloping like the rush of steeds
givers of water to those unable to quench their thirst,
On nights of glory, tilting valiantly.
بِأَيدٍwith hands تَحبِسُthat hold back الأَورادَthe watering parties عِزّاًin might
بِأَيدٍ تَحبِسُ الأَورادَ عِزّاً
وَتَأمَنُand are safe مِنfrom مُلاطَمَةِthe clashing of السِجالِwater-buckets
وَتَأمَنُ مِن مُلاطَمَةِ السِجالِ
with hands that, in their might, hold watering parties back
The era of their house watered its life
and are safe from the clash of buckets—
And gave life with ostriches and swords.
غَمائِمُclouds لِلرُعودِfor the thunderclaps بِهاwithin them أَزيزٌa rumble
غَمائِمُ لِلرُعودِ بِها أَزيزٌ
رُغاءُthe bellow of العَودِthe old camel رازَمَتِmoaned softly المَتاليthe nursing she-camels
رُغاءُ العَودِ رازَمَتِ المَتالي
by clouds whose thunder rumbles within them,
When their women undertake endeavors,
like an old camel's bellow when nursing she-camels moan,
What then is my surmise and yours of the men?
كَحَمحَمَةِlike the low neighing of الأَداهِمِthe black horses أَقبَلوهاthey led them forward
كَحَمحَمَةِ الأَداهِمِ أَقبَلوها
لَياليon the nights of الوِردِwatering مائِلَةَtilted in الجِلالِthe horse-blankets
لَيالي الوِردِ مائِلَةَ الجِلالِ
like the low neighing of black horses they led forward
on watering nights, their horse-blankets askew.
فَسَقّىso may water عَهدَthe remembered site of دارِهِمُtheir home حَياهاtheir rain
فَسَقّى عَهدَ دارِهِمُ حَياها
وَحَيّاand may greet بِالنُعامىwith the south wind وَالشَمالِand the north wind
وَحَيّا بِالنُعامى وَالشَمالِ
So may the clouds' rain water their home's remembered site,
and greet it with the south and north winds.
إِذاif اِبتَدَرَتhastened to نِساؤُهُمُtheir women المَساعيnoble endeavors
إِذا اِبتَدَرَت نِساؤُهُمُ المَساعي
فَماthen what ظَنّيis my judgment وَظَنُّكَand your judgment بِالرِجالِof the men
فَما ظَنّي وَظَنُّكَ بِالرِجالِ
If their women hasten to noble endeavors,
what, then, must you and I think of the men?
Partial English translation: 64 of 70 Arabic lines translated.